Abraham’s Servant—An Unsung Hero
Genesis 24:12
In the longest chapter of Genesis, we see Abraham commissioning his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac.
He was trusted by his master Abraham (24:1-9).
That means he was a faithful servant.
Honesty and integrity are hard things to come by these days.
If the man that is praised for his faith recognizes faithfulness of others, it’s something to take note of.
While Abraham did put him under an oath, that doesn’t mean he trusted him less, but it means he trusted him more.
He recognized that his word meant something, it could be trusted.
At the same time, Abraham gave him an escape clause: if she is not willing to come, he is released.
That did not make him less likely to try, as he was very earnest in fulfilling his promise.
And what a task Abraham entrusted to his servant, to find a wife for his son!
He left no criteria except that she belong to his family left in Nahor in Mesopotamia.
So Abraham must have trusted in his servant’s judgment to find a good wife for him.
After all, she was to be the mother of Israel.
His wisdom was evident in picking out a great wife (24:14).
He asked the Lord to help him find a wife for Isaac.
Here in verse 14, these aren’t some random circumstances that this servant is praying for.
These are signs of service and hospitality.
A woman with these traits is a desirable woman indeed, particularly back then in their culture where hospitality was paramount.
Offering not only to give you water, but to your camels, too—that was no small task.
He trusted in God (24:12-14, 21, 26-27, 52).
He offered a prayer to God, even calling Him by name: Jehovah God (24:12-14).
He made a wise request of God, but he did not trust in his own wisdom.
He trusted in God and His ability to help him in his task.
After she had done all these things, he was still cautious—there was one more requirement she had to meet, the one given by Abraham (24:21).
When he learned she was of his master’s family, he worshiped God and expressed his joy that He was so good to Abraham (24:26-27).
But there was still the matter of settling with her family, so he met them and explained the whole story to them.
They agreed to let her go, and he worshiped once again (24:52).
He was no doubt thanking God for His goodness.
He was trustworthy, wise, and faithful and an unsung hero.
He possessed all these traits, and even found a wife for Isaac.
While Abraham did promise that an angel would accompany him, it still had to be a monumental task.
He had to pick a woman who would be good for Isaac, but also be a good mother to his children, and be the mother Israel.
This choice would shape the history of the Israelite nation forever.
While Rebekah was not perfect, she was still the right choice, the best choice—far better than the Canaanite women who were around.
And this servant, as the Lord’s instrument, had traits that could benefit us.
Let us be trustworthy, seek to be wise, and faithful to our God as well.